UK fibre optic broadband statistics 2025

This page includes relevant fibre optic broadband statistics for 2025, such as UK fibre optic broadband growth, its availability across the country as well as regional, average download and upload speeds, the reliability of UK fibre optic broadband, and different types of fibre optic broadband available across the country.

Written by Max Beckett, Broadband expert

Updated on 16 October 2025

Feature image with the title "200+ UK fibre broadband statistics 2024" next to a fibre optic cable

According to UK fibre broadband statistics, 98.31% of UK premises currently have a superfast, fibre broadband connection available to them. This provides download speeds of at least 30Mbps—the majority of which is mostly supplied by part-fibre, part-copper networks of cables.

Whilst superfast fibre broadband is currently sufficient for the majority of UK households, the demand for such services is increasing, and there are still around 750,000 premises in the UK without a superfast broadband connection.

Our research has collated various UK fibre broadband facts and stats for 2025, by analysing and comparing fibre broadband trends across the country. This report includes information on the UK fibre broadband market, how it has evolved since its inception, and predictions about the future of fibre broadband provision in the UK.

Top 10 must-know UK fibre broadband statistics for 2025

According to Ofcom, 97% of UK premises currently have a superfast part-fibre broadband connection available to them as of January 2025.
There are still around 48,000 premises in the UK without access to a decent broadband connection.
84% of the UK can now access gigabit-capable broadband as of January 2025.
The UK government’s Project Gigabit aims to bring gigabit-capable coverage to 85% of the UK by the end of 2025.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of UK premises have access to full fibre broadband as of January 2025.
As of December 2024, in the UK, seven in 10 (71%) of urban residential premises have access to full fibre networks, compared to only just over half (52%) of homes in rural areas.
Northern Ireland has the highest percentage of full fibre broadband access of any UK nation, at 96.45%.
Scotland has the worst rate of full fibre access, at 69.79%.
The average download speed in the UK is 170.2Mbps as of Q1 2025, up 22.62% from a year prior.
The UK’s average upload speed has improved further than its download speed, rising 36.89% to 59Mbps in Q1 2025.

What are the different types of fibre broadband?

Fibre broadband is a type of high-speed broadband that uses fibre cables to connect your premises to the internet.

There are three main types of fibre broadband connection in the UK:

Diagram to show the difference between the three different types of fibre optic broadband

1. Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC)

Also known as superfast broadband, Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC) involves running fibre cables between the broadband provider’s exchange point and the phone cabinet on the street near your home. Copper cables then connect the phone cabinet to your premises to deliver your fibre broadband.

2. Fibre To The Premises (FTTP)

Most commonly known as full fibre, but sometimes known as ‘Fibre To The Home’ (FTTH) or ultrafast broadband, FTTP involves running cables directly into your home, and avoids a roadside cabinet like FTTC. The result is a much faster, fibre broadband connection.

3. Fibre To The Node (FTTN)

Fibre To The Node (FTTN) is roughly the same as FTTC, only the street cabinet is placed several kilometres from your street. Copper wiring is then used to make up the remaining distance to your home.

FTTP is capable of connection speeds well beyond 1000Mbps. However, most fibre broadband connections in the UK are superfast FTTC, providing download speeds of between 30-70Mbps.

Broadly speaking, there are three main types of broadband that run off fibre cables in the UK:

Superfast partial fibre: FTTC connection and currently available to 97% of UK homes, providing speeds between 30-70Mbps.
Full fibre: FTTP connection with speeds of up to 1Gbps and above, in some cases.
Virgin Media cable: A separate, fixed-line broadband network provided by Virgin Media that uses coaxial cables instead of phone lines for the final leg of the journey. These are partly fibre, and a lot faster, resulting in speeds of around 1Gbps.

UK fibre broadband industry and growth

What is the availability of different types of fibre broadband across the UK?

Our 2025 UK fibre broadband statistics report shows a continued rise in the accessibility of fibre broadband services across the UK.

As of January 2025, the number of homes with gigabit-capable broadband increased from 25 million (83%) to 25.9 million (86%), representing a growth of 0.9 million homes and a three percentage point increase in coverage since July 2024.

UK premises and the percentage that have different types of fibre broadband in 2024

Pictorial chart showing the level of broadband access across different premises and broadband types.

Nearly three-quarters of UK residential premises have access to full fibre broadband, an increase of five percentage points over the six-month period to January 2025. This represents an extra 1.8 million homes with full fibre coverage, up to 22.5 million across the UK.

Superfast broadband has remained stable at 97% since 2023. The number of UK premises unable to get decent broadband has decreased from 58,000 to 48,000. However, the majority of these (85.42%, or 41,000) are not expected to be covered by publicly funded schemes throughout 2025, leaving a significant group without adequate broadband access.

The ongoing expansion of full fibre broadband has significantly contributed to the growth of gigabit-capable broadband coverage across the UK, providing faster and more reliable internet speeds.

However, there remains a disparity between broadband coverage rates between UK homes and commercial residences. While nearly three-quarters of UK homes have access to full fibre broadband, this figure is just three-fifths for UK businesses. This access gap is even greater at the gigabit-capable level, where 86% of homes have access, compared to 68% of commercial premises.

At the same time, Thinkbroadband reported that Virgin Media Cable broadband is now available to more than half of the UK, with access rates of around 54% as of Q1 2024.

These developments underscore efforts by the previous UK Conservative government, which allocated over £1 billion to expand high speed broadband infrastructure in hard-to-reach towns and villages. This initiative aims to boost economic growth, create job opportunities, and improve overall connectivity, especially in rural areas.

Decent broadband is defined by the UK government as ‘a broadband connection offering at least 10Mbps download speed and 1Mbps upload speed’.

UK fibre broadband industry growth by country

The latest UK fibre broadband stats show that every UK nation has seen its full fibre access expand within the last year. As of January 2025, just 73% of the UK has access to full fibre broadband – a rise of 12 percentage points since the previous year, when the access rate was 61%.

UK full fibre broadband accessibility rates in the UK by country between 2022 and 2025

Comparative line chart showing the growth in full fibre broadband access by UK nation.

As of January 2025, full fibre broadband access has increased at varying rates across the UK. According to the latest report, England saw the greatest improvement at 13 percentage points since January 2024, while Northern Ireland saw the least with a two percentage point increase, albeit remaining the nation with the greatest access.

Below is a breakdown of the current full fibre access rate and the change since 2022:

England: 74%, up 43 percentage points
Northern Ireland: 93%, up 16 percentage points
Scotland: 65%, up 34 percentage points
Wales: 72%, up 41 percentage points
UK: 73%, up 41 percentage points

UK gigabit broadband accessibility rates across the UK by country between 2022 and 2025

Comparative line chart showing the growth in gigabit capable broadband access by UK nation.

As with full fibre access, the latest gigabit broadband statistics show a significant rise in gigabit broadband accessibility across the UK. According to the latest January 2025 data, Northern Ireland reached an impressive 94% coverage, followed by England at 85%, Scotland at 78%, and Wales at 76%. These numbers represent notable increases since the previous year, with Wales showing the highest rise at nine percentage points.

The UK’s provision for gigabit broadband grew by six percentage points in this time, meaning over four-fifths of the UK can now access this type of broadband.

Northern Ireland continues to lead in gigabit broadband access, maintaining the highest coverage at 94%, ten percentage points higher than the UK average, and 18 points higher than Wales.

Which area of the UK has the highest access to gigabit broadband?

Northern Ireland has the highest access to full fibre in the UK, with 94% of its citizens able to access the high-speed service.

UK superfast broadband availability rates by country between 2022 and 2025

Comparative line chart showing the growth in superfast broadband access by UK nation.

Between January 2022 and January 2024, superfast broadband accessibility in the UK showed steady improvement across all nations. However, in the year to January 2025, Scotland was the only nation to see continued progress, rising from 95% to 96%, in line with Wales.

Despite some challenges in reaching remote areas, particularly in Wales and Scotland, all nations' growth in different categories of broadband accessibility reflects substantial progress in broadband infrastructure. To maintain this positive progress, continued investment in broadband infrastructure is essential to ensure widespread access to high-speed internet services across all regions in the UK.

Urban vs rural fibre broadband statistics

Urban vs rural full fibre access rates across the UK

The latest fibre broadband statistics report from Ofcom indicates that, as of December 2024, 71% of UK urban residential premises have access to full fibre broadband. In contrast, only just over half (52%) of UK rural areas have similar access.

UK premises that have full fibre broadband in rural and urban areas for different countries of the UK, as of December 2024

Butterfly chart showing the difference in residential full fibre access across urban and rural areas of UK nations.

On a country-by-country level, Northern Ireland is very much leading the way for urban accessibility, with 96% of its urban residential premises receiving full fibre broadband. The corresponding figure for Wales is 74%, and less for both England (71%) and Scotland (67%).

This trend is even more apparent in terms of rural broadband access. While nearly nine in 10 (86%) Northern Irish rural residential premises have full fibre access, this figure is at only just over half (52%) for England and under that for Scotland (42%) and Wales (48%).

Urban vs rural full fibre access rates by broadband speed across the UK

The disparity between urban and rural broadband access is also apparent in terms of speeds. While urban areas across the UK have 99% coverage for speeds equal to or greater than 30Mbps, rural areas only boast 89% coverage.

UK broadband speeds by urban and rural areas as of January 2025

Comparative horizontal bar chart showing the coverage of different broadband speeds across urban and rural areas.

Similarly, while all urban areas have access to broadband with speeds equal to or greater than 10Mbps, rural areas are narrowly behind with 95% coverage.

This trend is also illustrated by the slower speeds of less than 10Mbits download or 1Mbits upload. While only 1% of urban areas in the UK still have access to these outdated speeds, 5% of rural areas retain access to these, indicating that some areas are still reliant on slow broadband speeds.

What is the difference in average broadband speeds between urban and rural areas?

In 2023, UK urban areas had a 9% faster average minimum speed compared to rural areas (50.6Mbps vs 46.3Mbps). Additionally, the difference between average maximum speeds for urban and rural areas was just 4.8Mbps (10%), in favour of urban locations.

Urban and rural download speed statistics for UK broadband (2023)

Butterfly chart comparing the average rural and urban download speeds in the UK in 2023.

The average peak-time speed (between 8pm and 10pm) was 4.5Mbps (9%) faster in UK cities by comparison, with a 4.7Mbps (9%) difference for the average 24-hour speeds.

Fibre broadband statistics between rural and urban parts of the UK

	Urban (Mbps)	Rural (Mbps)
Median average peak-time download speed (2023)	70.3	56
Proportion of lines with an average evening peak-time speed of 30Mbps or higher (2023)	88%	78%
Proportion of lines with an average evening peak-time speed of less than 10Mbps (2023)	1%	8%

(Source: Ofcom)

Ofcom data shows that the median average peak-time download speed was 26% faster in urban areas of the UK (70.3Mbps) compared to rural (56Mbps) in March 2023.

In March 2022, respective figures showed a 58% difference of 22.7Mbps, when average urban speeds were 62.1Mbps and rural speeds were 39.4Mbps. Therefore, over the past 12 months, urban areas have only improved by 8.2Mbps compared to 16.6Mbps for rural parts of the UK.

As of 2023, only 1% of urban broadband lines in the UK had an average evening peak speed of less than 10Mbps, compared to 8% of rural lines. However, this gap is 6% smaller compared to March 2022, when the respective urban and rural figures were 1% and 14%, showing some progress has been made to narrow the gap.

Average peak-time home broadband download speed statistics for urban and rural areas of the UK

For UK urban areas in March 2023, average peak-time download speeds of 30-100Mbps were provided more than half (54%) of the time, compared to 61% for rural areas. This is a rise from 41% and 43%, respectively, since November 2018.

Average peak-time download speeds of 100-300Mbps were delivered to just over a fifth (22%) of UK urban premises in March 2023–a 5% rise over the past five years. The corresponding figure for UK rural areas in March 2023 was 12% in total.

UK average home broadband download speeds for urban and rural areas between November 2018 and March 2023

Mixed graphic showing Average peak-time home broadband download speeds for urban areas.

Ultrafast broadband (300Mbps+ download speed according to Ofcom) was provided to 11% of UK urban locations in March 2023, yet just 5% for rural. This represents an increase of 3% in urban areas and 2% in rural areas, since March 2022.

Availability of full fibre broadband across different regions of the UK

Of all the UK regions, Northern Ireland is leading the way in terms of the percentage of premises that have access to full fibre broadband (96.45%).

Yorkshire and the Humber has the greatest full fibre coverage within England (87.82%), followed by the North West (84.91%) and the East Midlands (80.38%).

UK regional full fibre network coverage map

Full fibre network coverage map of the UK.

Scotland is the worst nation for full fibre coverage, sitting at below seven-tenths (69.79%). Within England, the South West is the region with the lowest level of access to full fibre broadband, at 71.93%.

Projected full fibre broadband availability across UK local authorities by 2026 (exclusive data)

Our data certainly reflects the government's plans to offer large-scale increases in fibre availability throughout the UK by 2026.

There is evidence of substantial projected increases throughout the UK, with local authorities such as Hastings in East Sussex and Adur in West Sussex, both rising from just under 32.40% and 65.39%, respectively, up to virtually 100% for both.

UK regions with the highest and lowest predicted full fibre broadband availability in March 2026

Mirror chart showing the UK regions with the highest and lowest predicted full fibre availability in March 2026.

The highest projected increases in fibre broadband provision are typically found in the areas with the lowest current availability, with these places naturally offering more room for improvement than places with already high full fibre availability.

UK local authorities with the highest projected full fibre broadband availability in 2026

Local authority	Number of premises	Premises with current full fibre availability	Current full fibre percentage	Estimated premises with full fibre by May 2026	Estimated full fibre percentage (May 2026)
Hastings	46,382	15,030	32.4	46,382	100
Adur	29,985	19,606	65.39	29,985	100
Reading	77,627	59,892	77.15	77,625	100
Blackpool	78,225	4,078	5.21	78,211	99.98
Eastbourne	51,311	39,675	77.32	51,301	99.98
Cheltenham	60,303	29,277	48.55	60,287	99.97
Watford	43,545	29,069	66.76	43,529	99.96
Worcester	49,551	34,582	69.79	49,532	99.96
Slough	58,582	45,484	77.64	58,556	99.96
Gosport	39,261	6,817	17.36	39,243	99.95

(Source: Uswitch via Ofcom)

According to our projected full fibre broadband statistics, some of the most substantial increases will include:

Blackpool (5.21% to 99.98%)
Gosport (17.36% to 99.95%)
Hastings (32.40% to 100.00%)
Cheltenham (48.55% to 99.97%).

UK local authorities with the lowest projected full fibre broadband availability in 2026

Local authority	Number of premises	Premises with current full fibre availability	Current full fibre percentage	Estimated premises with full fibre by May 2026	Estimated full fibre percentage (May 2026)
Isles of Scilly	1,689	31	1.84	31	1.84
Harlow	42,364	4,597	10.85	5,619	13.26
Dudley	148,171	29,835	20.14	43,574	29.41
Perth and Kinross	80,611	9,939	12.33	23,719	29.42
Argyll and Bute	57,178	3,682	6.44	19,432	33.99
Redditch	40,331	7,511	18.62	14,956	37.08
Highland	120,580	41,052	34.05	51,403	42.63
Scottish Borders	65,557	19,734	30.1	29,967	45.71
Moray, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands	93,943	26,446	28.15	43,027	45.8
North East Lincolnshire	75,541	18,997	25.15	38,000	50.3

(Source: Uswitch via Ofcom)

Some of our data underlines the government’s continued struggle to provide certain rural areas with high-speed internet.

Despite substantial investment plans, there are certain areas expected to have little to no increase in full fibre availability over the coming years. These struggles are best defined by the Isles of Scilly, where the projected full fibre availability is expected to remain at 1.84% by 2026.

Certain areas, such as Perth and Kinross in Scotland, will see their full fibre percentage almost triple from 12.33% to 33.99%. Conversely, North East Lincolnshire will see their percentage double over the next few years, but still remain available to no more than 50.94% of all full fibre premises.

The picture looks a little less bleak for the remaining local authorities in the bottom 10 areas for full fibre broadband access in 2026. For example, Redditch will see an increase from 18.62% to 42.63%, and the Scottish Borders will grow from 30.10% to only 45.80%.

Some remote areas, such as Argyll and Bute in Scotland, will see a relatively large increase in full fibre accessibility, going from 6.44% to 37.08% in three years. However, it will still remain within the top 10 least accessible areas in the UK for full fibre internet.

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What ways are the UK Government investing in fibre broadband in 2025?

Project Gigabit is a UK Government programme aimed to bring £5 billion worth of investment to the country’s broadband infrastructure. The aim is to bring gigabit-capable coverage to 85% of the UK, and maximise coverage in the 20% hardest-to-reach locations by 2025.

Coverage figures stood at 75% in 2023 before reaching 80% in 2024 (an increase of eight percentage points).

According to the latest broadband news, homes and businesses without superfast broadband will be prioritised, and see their connectivity speeds rocket from less than 30Mbps to more than 1,000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

As of January 2025, dozens of Project Gigabit contracts have been signed, representing an investment of over £2.2 billion. These contracts are in partnership with more than 10 different broadband suppliers, including smaller independent providers.

Alongside these major contracts, the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme was introduced to allow eligible individuals, households, and businesses to claim broadband vouchers. This will help incentivise broadband providers in their area to improve the quality of local broadband provision.

Mini infographic showing how much the UK is spending to improve broadband infrastructure.

In total, this will provide £210 million worth of funding to immediately help those living in rural areas, with slow broadband speeds.

As of April 2024, 136,000 vouchers had already been issued across the UK, granting up to £4,500 worth of support payments to some of the UK’s hardest-to-reach areas and those struggling with internet connection problems.

Fibre broadband investment in England

As part of the UK’s Project Gigabit, large parts of England are due for an upgrade over the next two-to-seven years, in terms of their fibre superfast broadband provision, totalling £650 million worth of investment.

In January 2025, four new Project Gigabit contracts were signed by the government and Openreach, promising to deliver over £289 million in investments. These contracts are set to benefit areas in Wales, the North East of England, Devon, Essex, Somerset, and Shropshire.

Fibre broadband statistics in Scotland

The Scottish Government’s ‘Reaching 100%’ (R100) project now means that connections are live in all contract areas across Scotland. This includes ‘The North Lot’, where 16 new subsea cables have been installed to enable faster broadband access for 15 of Scotland’s island communities. While the R100 project was originally conceived as a commitment to superfast broadband, the Scottish government announced in April 2024 that the scheme is now providing gigabit-capable connections in around 99% of cases.

Mini infographic showing how much Scotlands R100 project will cost and how it will affect broadband speeds.

Additional support is provided through the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme, which will provide up to £5,000 for properties in Scotland that:

Receive less than 30Mbps in broadband speed.
Aren’t due to receive a superfast connection through the R100 scheme.

This additional source of money can also be combined with funding provided by the UK Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

Over £1 billion of public investment has delivered more than one million faster broadband connections across Scotland. The £463 million Digital Scotland Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme, completed in 2020, exceeded targets by connecting 950,600 premises. The £600 million Reaching 100% (R100) programme focuses on rural areas, providing gigabit-capable speeds around 48,000 connections and an additional 3,800 through the voucher scheme.

Looking ahead, The Scottish Government has prioritised digital connectivity in the 2024-2025 Budget, recognising its importance for economic growth and innovation, particularly benefiting remote communities with improved broadband capabilities.

This is in addition to 100% relief in non-domestic rates on newly-laid fibre cables until March 2034, to further incentivise the rollout of fibre broadband across Scotland.

Fibre broadband statistics in Wales

The Welsh Government’s Local Broadband Fund supports local authorities and social enterprises to deliver broadband projects on a local scale. The Access Broadband Cymru scheme helps to provide grants that help with the installation costs of new broadband connections for homes and businesses across Wales.

The amount of funding available will depend on the speed of the new connection:

£400 for 10Mbps (or above).
£800 for 30Mbps (or above).

Ogi, supported by Infracapital, has achieved a significant milestone in its £200 million fibre broadband rollout across South Wales. They have reached 100,000 properties in nine local authority areas, with one in five eligible premises subscribing to their services.

Community premises are at the heart of Wales’ Local Broadband Fund, with the Welsh government reporting in September 2024 that three adult residential care homes in Newport now had gigabit-capable broadband. Further, tourist spots include the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, and the scheme has also targeted public services such as rural libraries.

Fibre broadband statistics in Northern Ireland

In May 2025, Openreach Northern Ireland announced that the country was the first UK region to achieve 90% coverage as part of its full fibre broadband rollout.

Fibrus plans to connect 81,000 locations before June 2025, which is earlier than planned and within budget. The total cost of the project is £248 million. Minister for the Economy, Conor Murphy, has praised the project for significantly improving broadband access in the region.

Public funding of £32 million will be used to extend coverage of gigabit-capable broadband, to the benefit of an additional 8,500 homes and businesses across Northern Ireland. The focus will be on rural regions to include 2,500 hard-to-reach properties that weren’t included in the original contract, plus a further 6,000 premises.

Mini infographic documenting costs and aims of project stratum.

Project Stratum represents Northern Ireland’s largest-ever public investment in telecommunications infrastructure. This is an attempt to close the gap between urban and rural broadband provision, where a third of premises cannot access speeds of 30Mbps or above.

Average cost of UK broadband statistics 2024 (exclusive data)

The average monthly cost of fibre broadband is relatively consistent across all UK regions, ranging between £32 and £34. Northern Ireland has the highest average monthly cost at £34.

Average cost of broadband in the UK by region

Most regions, including Wales, the South West, Scotland, the North East, Greater London, and the East Midlands, have an average cost of £32.

However, when vouchers or bill credits are considered, the average monthly cost decreases by around £2 to £3 across the UK.

Which UK region has the highest broadband sales?

The North West has the highest proportion of broadband sales among Uswitch customers, accounting for 15% of sales across the UK. The regions with the lowest sales share are East England and Northern Ireland, each with 2%.

Sales share across the UK by region

Donut chart breaking down the percentage of overall UK broadband sales among Uswitch customers by region

Sales are more concentrated in certain regions, like the North West, South East, and Greater London, and Scotland. Collectively, these regions reach nearly half of the total sales (47%).

While costs are similar, the sales share varies significantly, suggesting that factors other than cost – such as regional demand or population density – might influence sales distribution.

Average speed of fibre broadband in the UK 2024

Average download speeds for broadband increased considerably between Q1 2020 and Q1 2025. This is largely due to the rise in the number of UK homes switching to high-speed fibre broadband, such as full fibre and superfast packages.

Average download and upload speed of broadband in the UK

According to our broadband statistics report, the mean average download speed of UK broadband in Q1 2025 stood at 170.2Mbps. This represents an increase of 31.4Mbps from Q1 2024, indicating a growth of 22.62%.

Average download and upload speeds of broadband in the UK between Q1 2020 and 2025

Horizontal bar chart showing the average download and upload speeds since 2020.

Average upload speeds have also risen considerably since 2020. As of Q1 2025, the mean average upload speed for broadband was 59Mbps – a rise of 15.9Mbps (36.89%) from a year earlier and nearly five times faster (+456.6%) than in Q1 2020.

Average UK download speed by connection type (2023)

Bar graph showing the median average download speed by connection type.

As of Q1 2023, the percentage of UK homes receiving a 24-hour average download speed of 30Mbps or higher stood at 88%. This represents a rise of 5% from the same time in 2022 when the number stood at 83%.

The median average download speed for full fibre connections also increased slightly in the same period, to 149.2Mbps (+1%) during peak time.

In the year up to March 2023, Virgin Media cable connections had the largest increase in their median average download speed, up by 71.3Mbps to 270.6Mbps–a 36% increase since 2022. This significant increase is largely down to cable customers migrating to faster packages.

By comparison, the increase in average download speed over the last 12 months for superfast ‘fibre-to-the-cabinet’ (FTTC) connections was smaller (5.6Mbps), rising 11% to 55.7Mbps.

What is the average download speed of broadband in the UK? 170.2Mbp

UK connections and the percentage of UK premises able to hit these various broadband speeds (2023)

Area graph showing percentage of UK connections able to reach various broadband speeds.

By March 2023, the median average download speed for UK broadband connections was 69.4Mbps (a 17% increase from the previous year), with a mean average of 139.1Mbps.

Understanding internet speeds can get complex, as the mean average download speed is often inflated, due to a small proportion of lines with very fast connection speeds. It’s anticipated that this gap between median and mean average speeds will grow until at least 50% of broadband connections are provided by copper-based technologies, after which the gap will reduce.

Average UK upload speeds have increased as more homes upgrade to faster broadband packages. Median upload speeds were 18.4Mbps as of March 2023–a 73% increase from last year.

Cable and full fibre lines recorded the highest speeds in 2022, with Virgin Media’s 1.13Gbps service having the fastest median average 24-hour download speed (1,137.1Mbps). The fastest median upload speed went to Gigaclear’s 300Mbps full fibre package, at 337Mbps.

Peak-period download speeds were 5% slower than average maximum speeds across all connections in March 2023 – down from 6% the previous year.

If you’re not happy with the strength of your home internet signal, then check out our guide on how to boost your Wi-Fi signal through a Wi-Fi extender.

Advertised download speeds for UK broadband 2023 (historical data - 2023)

As of March 2023, almost three-fifths (61%) of advertised download speeds for UK broadband were between 30-100Mbps–a 5% rise since November 2019. The corresponding figures were 21% for 100-300Mbps (+5% since November 2019), and 11% for advertised download speeds of more than 300Mbps (+10%).

In terms of actual download speeds for UK broadband, 30-100Mbps was delivered in 57% of cases (4% less than the advertised figure), and 100-300Mbps was provided in 21% of scenarios (equal to the number of advertised download speeds).

There was a 1% difference for broadband with advertised speeds of 300Mbps or higher (10% actual vs 11% advertised).

Advertised UK download speeds and actual download speeds by month/year between 2019 and 2023

Butterfly chart comparing the advertised download speeds and actual speeds by month/year

Incidentally, it was for broadband of slower speed where the results were reversed. In March 2023, only 7% of UK broadband provision was advertised with speeds of 10-30Mbps–a drop of 17% over the previous four years. In March 2023, the actual download speed for this category of broadband was delivered in 9% of cases.

Broadband speeds of less than 10Mbps were advertised at 0% in March 2023. However, in terms of actual download speed, this was provided in 3% of situations in the same month. This represents a 10% reduction over the last four years, down from 13% in 2019.

Enter your details into our broadband speed test to find out your current internet speed in seconds.

Average fibre broadband download speed statistics by broadband package and provider

In terms of FTTC fibre broadband connections of all packages included in Ofcom’s study, Sky’s Superfast broadband deal offered median average download speeds. With median speeds of 64.6Mbps, Sky’s package was narrowly ahead of Plusnet (64.2Mbps), TalkTalk (62.6Mbps), and Vodafone (60Mbps).

These four packages were around twice as fast as the advertised median download speeds for EE’s 38Mbps service, which was the slowest in Ofcom’s study from March 2023. The Ofcom study covers all of the major providers in the UK, but does not include packages from some of the smaller providers.

UK fibre broadband download speed statistics by FTTC broadband provider and package (2023)

Box plot showing a breakdown of UK fibre optic broadband download speed statistics by FTTC broadband provider and package

In terms of mean average download speeds, BT’s 67Mbps package came out fastest (63.4Mbps). Vodafone’s variance of 1.9Mbps between its mean and median speeds was the smallest in Ofcom’s analysis, suggesting customers on this service are likely to get more consistent speeds compared to the other FTTC packages.

UK fibre broadband download speed statistics by cable broadband provider and package (2023)

Box plot showing a breakdown of UK fibre optic broadband download speed statistics by cable broadband provider and package

Of the five Virgin Media cable packages included in Ofcom’s 2023 study, Virgin’s 1.13Gbps service recorded the fastest mean (1,123.9Mbps) and median (1,137.1Mbps) download speeds. These figures were around twice as fast as their 516Mbps package, and around three times quicker than the 362Mbps package.

As the advertised speed of the broadband package increases, so does the gap between median and mean download speeds. Virgin’s 108Mbps service, while being the slowest of the five broadband deals, also had the smallest variance between median and mean average download speeds (just 2.6Mbps), compared to 20.4Mbps for 516Mbps broadband.

This trend reverses slightly for the highest package, with the gap between mean and median speeds standing at 13.2Mbps for Virgin’s 1.13Gbps connection.

UK fibre broadband download speed statistics by FTTP broadband provider and package (2023)

A box plot showing a breakdown of UK fibre optic broadband download speed statistics by FTTP broadband provider and package

In terms of FTTP fibre broadband packages, BT’s 900Mbps service registered the fastest median and mean download times (891.6Mbps and 925.7Mbps, respectively).

However, the difference of 34.1Mbps was greater than any other package in Ofcom’s analysis from March 2023, suggesting customers with this deal could experience some inconsistency in their actual download speeds.

Conversely, BT’s next fastest FTTP connection–the BT broadband deal offering 300Mbps–had median (304.2Mbps) and mean (301.5Mbps) average download speed results that were much closer together (just 2.6Mbps), suggesting a greater consistency for its customers.

Average fibre broadband download speed statistics in the UK by broadband provider and package (2023)

A bar chart showing a breakdown of mean average fibre optic broadband download speed statistics in the UK by broadband provider and package

According to Ofcom’s recent fibre broadband statistics report, Virgin Media’s 1.13Gbps service registered the highest median and mean average 24-hour download speeds, from those providers analysed in March 2023.

At 1,137.1Mbps, Virgin Media’s 1.13Gbps service recorded download speeds that were almost a quarter (23%) quicker than the BT broadband deal offering 900Mbps (the fastest FTTP package with a median average download speed of 925.7Mbps). This was also 17 times quicker than the fastest FTTC connection, BT’s 67Mbps package, at a median average of 67.1Mbps.

Around half of the customers on the Virgin Media cable service advertising speeds of 1.13Gbps will receive actual download speeds of 1,137.1Mbps (the median average). However, with a lower mean average value of 1,123.9Mbps, this indicates that some customers will not receive such speeds.

Average fibre broadband upload speed statistics by broadband provider and package

For FTTC fibre broadband, the quickest average upload speeds were from TalkTalk’s 250Mbps G.fast service, with a median speed of 50.1Mbps and a mean of 46.8Mbps.

TalkTalk’s equivalent 150Mbps service had the next fastest upload speeds with a median speed of 30.7Mbps–around 38% slower than the 250Mbps service.

Average UK fibre broadband upload speed statistics by FTTC broadband provider and package (2023)

Box style plot diagram showing the average fibre optic broadband upload speed statistics by broadband provider and package.

BT’s 67Mbps service had the quickest upload speeds outside of TalkTalk’s G.fast packages, with a median of 18.5Mbps and a mean of 16.7Mbps. This means that BT customers on the 67Mbps service can expect upload speeds around three times faster than those on their 36Mbps package.

Average UK fibre broadband upload speed statistics by cable broadband provider and package (2023)

Box plot diagram showing a breakdown of average UK fibre optic broadband upload speed statistics by cable broadband provider and package

The fastest cable service in Ofcom’s study from March 2023 for upload speeds was from Virgin (1.13Gbps).

With a median average upload speed of 51.2Mbps, and a mean average upload speed of 52.1Mbps, this was around 42%% quicker than both the 362Mbps and 516Mbps cable fibre broadband packages available from Virgin Media.

The 1.13Gbps service also had the smallest difference between mean and median speeds, suggesting customers on this plan can expect greater consistency with their upload times.

Average UK fibre broadband upload speed statistics by FTTP broadband provider and package (2023)

Box plot diagram showing a breakdown of average UK fibre optic broadband upload speed statistics by FTTP broadband provider and package

In terms of FTTP fibre broadband packages, Gigaclear’s 300Mbps service provided the fastest average upload speeds in Ofcom’s study, at between 313.7-336.5Mbps. This was around three times faster than the next quickest FTTC service. However, this was the largest variation (22.8Mbps) between the four packages included in Ofcom’s 2023 study.

By contrast, BT’s 900Mbps plan (the next quickest service) only had a variation of 1Mbps between mean and median speeds, with speeds of 109Mbps and 110Mbps, respectively.

Both BT’s 300Mbps and Sky’s 145Mbps deals recorded variations of less than 1Mbps between upper and lower recordings, while BT’s 74Mbps package only registered a difference of 0.4Mbps. This suggests customers of these services should experience greater consistency in the actual upload speeds they receive.

Average UK fibre upload speed statistics by broadband provider and package (2023)

Bar graph showing the mean fibre optic upload speeds by provider and package.

As of March 2023, Gigaclear’s 300Mbps FTTP full fibre broadband package had the highest median and mean average upload speeds, at 336.5Mbps and 313.7Mbps, respectively. This was more than 15 times faster than the slowest FTTP service (BT 74Mbps) in Ofcom’s analysis, with an average median speed of 20.5Mbps, and mean average of 20.1Mbps.

Average fibre broadband latency statistics by broadband provider and package

Of the packages included in Ofcom’s research, Gigaclear’s 300Mbps full fibre service had the lowest median average for 24-hour latency recorded in March 2023, at 4.9ms. This makes Gigaclear’s package the only service with median latency speeds below 6ms.

Latency speed refers to the time taken for data to travel to a third-party server, and back again.

Most online activities require a response time of less than 100ms to provide a satisfactory experience. A broadband connection with low latency will make certain tasks, such as web browsing and video-calling, but especially online gaming, feel more responsive. In fact, according to recent online gaming statistics, some apps do require a response time of less than 50ms, in order to achieve optimal functionality.

Average UK fibre broadband latency speed statistics by broadband provider and package (2023)

A breakdown of average UK fibre broadband latency speed statistics by broadband provider and package

Sky’s 145Mbps and 500Mbps services had the next shortest median latency speeds, at 6.6ms – around a third (34%) longer than Gigaclear’s service.

FTTP packages generally performed better in this experiment, compared to providers of FTTC and cable fibre broadband. In terms of having the least delays, the best FTTC broadband service was Plusnet’s 66Mbps package, with median average latency speeds of 10.1ms followed by BT’s 67Mbps deal at 10.2ms.

Conversely, for cable broadband, Virgin's 516Mbps service produced the lowest latency speeds, with a median average of 12.5ms–almost three times the median average latency speed for the best-performing package in Ofcom’s 2023 study (Gigabit’s 300Mbps FTTP fibre broadband).

Average fibre broadband latency statistics in the UK by broadband provider and package (2023)

Bar chart showing the mean fibre broadband latency statistics by provider and package.

In terms of mean average latency speeds, the best-performing package from Ofcom’s 2023 analysis was Gigabit’s 300Mbps service, at just 5.4ms, followed by Sky’s 500Mbps package at 7ms.

Generally, FTTP fibre broadband produced less latency compared to FTTC and cable broadband, with all seven packages registering less than 9ms.

Mean average latency speeds for FTTC ranged from 11.1ms (Plusnet 66Mbps) up to 13.6ms (Vodafone 67Mbps). Cable broadband services had a smaller variation between its packages and providers, yet registered some of the slowest latency speeds in this study.

Virgin’s 516Mbps deal recorded the fastest mean average latency speed for cable broadband (13.1ms) compared to 15ms for their 1.13Gbps package –more than three times as slow as the best-performing service in Ofcom’s study.

Reliability of UK fibre broadband

UK fibre outage statistics

Fibre broadband stats from Ofcom surrounding UK broadband outages show that, in March 2023, those with a 516Mbps connection had the least amount of disruption.

The distribution of average daily disconnections lasting 30 seconds or more shows that more than a quarter (27%) of those with 516Mbps cable broadband reported no disruptions at all–the highest percentage in the study. This is contrasted by less than 1% for 33-38Mbps FTTC services and 145-160Mbps FTTP plans.

That said, the overwhelming majority of disconnections for 145-160Mbps FTTC were reported on just one occasion (95%) during March 2023, and 90% for 33-38Mbps FTTC.

Conversely, just under three-quarters (72%) of users with a 516Mbps cable connection experienced a single outage lasting at least 30 seconds during the month, which is the lowest percentage reported for number of disruptions.

UK fibre broadband outages by connection type and speed

At the other end of the scale, 362Mbps cable and 300-330Mbps full fibre broadband both registered more than three disconnections lasting 30 seconds or more on 4% of occasions. Despite this being less than half the amount compared to ADSL broadband (10%), it was double the amount compared to most other forms of fibre internet connection.

Contrastingly, 63-67Mbps FTTC, 362Mbps cable, and 66-74Mbps full fibre broadband all registered 0% for three or more 30-second-plus outages during March 2023. The latter also registered 0% for >2 to 3 disruptions in the same month, making it one of the most reliable types of broadband in the UK for this given period.

If you’re experiencing outages and issues with your internet connection, then you could be entitled to some money back. Check out our guide on how to claim compensation when your broadband services are down.

Alternatives to fibre broadband - satellite broadband statistics

Satellite broadband is an alternative way of getting internet into your home, much in the same way as homes that receive satellite TV.

While older satellites can only manage average broadband speeds of around 10Mbps, companies like SpaceX and OneWeb are revolutionising the technology market. Their satellites are capable of providing internet speeds of up to 300Mbps—almost five times as fast as the UK’s average speed (69.4Mbps).

A mini infographic comparing the broadband speeds of old satellites against modern satellite providers.

300Mbps is comparable to speeds from a fixed-line full fibre broadband network, and could be a potential solution for those premises located in some of the UK’s hardest-to-reach places.

Starlink’s high-speed low-latency broadband internet costs around £75 per month, with a one-time hardware cost of £460.

To find out if Starlink is available in your area, put your address into the Starlink availability checker.

As an alternative, OneWeb is a UK-based satellite internet brand that has, so far, launched 634 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, compared to more than 2,000 from Starlink.

Reasons why people get fibre broadband

One of the main benefits of having fibre broadband in your property or premises is the associated faster, more efficient speeds that come with it, and the reasonable prices that some superfast fibre deals are now available for.

The best broadband for streaming will provide somewhere between 1.5Mbps and 25Mbps, depending on the picture quality you are watching your content in. This is also per device, so speeds will need to account for multiple users streaming on different devices in the same household.

On the other hand, broadband for gaming may require a larger minimum bandwidth and faster speeds, in order to achieve better performance in competitive multiplayer modes and avoid loading issues such as lagging and latency.

In addition, according to the latest online streaming statistics, UK adults spend a combined 107 minutes every day watching subscription video-on-demand, broadcaster video-on-demand, and video sharing platforms.

This is another reason why people get fibre broadband, with its ability to serve multiple users, platforms, and devices at once without affecting the user experience.

Are you frequently working from home and finding your broadband is not as reliable as it could be? Check out our guide on working from home and how to get the most out of your broadband.

Average download and upload speed statistics for different online activities (exclusive data)

Our data shows an expected increase in average download speeds for faster, more modern fibre broadband options.

The biggest percentage increase in average download speeds is between FTTP (330Mbps) and FTTP (1,000Mbps), which nearly tripled from 287.45Mbps to 785.53Mbps. This increase is further evidence of the profound impact gigabit broadband is likely to wield on average download speeds, as it becomes more accessible throughout the UK.

Average download and upload speed statistics across different Fibre broadband options

	FTTC (38Mbps)	FTTC (52Mbps)	FTTC (76Mbps)	FTTP (160Mbps)	FTTP (330Mbps)	FTTP (1,000Mbps)	Cable (200Mbps)	Cable (350Mbps)	Cable (600Mbps)
Average download speed (Mbps)	28.34	45.11	58.2	146.35	287.45	785.53	212.36	371.56	595.12
Average upload speed (Mbps)	6.2	8.26	15.35	29.77	47.76	751.85	20.54	35.35	41.11

(Source: Uswitch via Ofcom)

While none of the cable connections in this study could match the average download speeds of gigabit broadband, the speeds recorded by the two fastest cable connections (350Mbps and 600Mbps) were faster than all other FTTP connections.

After a drop-down to 212.36Mbps for the first cable connection in our study (200Mbps), average download speeds would rise by a third to 317.56Mbps for the 350Mbps cable connection. This was followed by a jump of almost 50% to 596.12Mbps for the 600Mbps cable connection.

Unsure on which fibre broadband package to get? Check out our guide to find out which broadband is best for you and your internet needs.

The trajectory of average upload speeds mirrors the download rankings, with average speeds sharply rising with every fibre connection, before peaking with FTTP (1,000Mbps) at over 750Mbps. These figures reduce slightly with the introduction of cable connections. The fact that some providers offer ‘symmetrical’ upload and download speeds, that provide the same speed for both services, may have been a factor in these results.

Upload speeds for FTTC fibre broadband peak with the 76Mbps package, at 15.35Mbps—almost 50 times slower than FTTP (1,000Mbps) broadband. By comparison, the fastest upload speeds for cable fibre broadband are with the 600Mbps package, at 41.11Mbps (18 times slower than FTTP 1,000Mbps).

Comparatively, the biggest increases in upload speeds could be found from FTTP (330Mbps) to FTTP (1,000Mbps) where speeds increased by over 1,500%. This indicates the significant impact that gigabit broadband has had on upload speeds since the introduction of fibre broadband.

Check out our download time calculator to discover how long it will take you to download a file of any size on your current internet download speed.

Download times for different online activities across different types of fibre broadband

Type of broadband	Download two-hour film (1080p) (2.6GB)	Download two-hour film (4K) (42GB)	Download video game - God of War: Ragnarök for PS5 (84.1GB)	Upload 100 photos (200MB)	Download 100 songs (720MB)	Download iOS update (263MB)
FTTC (38 Mbps)	00:12:14	03:17:36	06:35:40	00:04:18	00:15:29	00:05:39
FTTC (52Mbps)	00:07:41	02:04:08	04:08:35	00:03:14	00:11:37	00:04:15
FTTC (76 Mbps)	00:05:57	01:36:13	03:12:40	00:01:44	00:06:15	00:02:17
FTTP (160Mps)	00:02:22	00:38:16	01:16:37	00:00:54	00:03:13	00:01:11
FTTP (330Mbps)	00:01:12	00:19:29	00:39:01	00:00:34	00:02:01	00:00:44
FTTP (1,000Mbps)	00:00:26	00:07:08	00:14:16	00:00:02	00:00:08	00:00:03
Cable (200Mbps)	00:01:38	00:26:22	00:52:48	00:01:18	00:04:40	00:01:42
Cable (350Mbps)	00:00:56	00:15:04	00:30:11	00:00:45	00:02:43	00:01:00
Cable (600Mbps)	00:00:35	00:09:24	00:18:49	00:00:39	00:02:20	00:00:51

(Source: Uswitch via Ofcom)

According to our study, the average download and upload speeds are reflected in the average time it takes to complete various online activities. Everything from film and game downloads, to uploading photos, are characterised by sharp increases in speeds that peak with the FTTP (1,000Mbps), before reducing with the introduction of cable connections.

These specified lists also provide further evidence of the power of gigabit broadband, with the average time for a two-hour film download (4K) more than halving from 0:19:29 to 0:07:08. The time taken to download 100 songs dropped hugely too, from over two minutes to just eight seconds.

Other key findings from our study show that, when compared to FTTC, having an FTTP fibre broadband connection means that:

Downloading a two-hour movie (either 1080p or 4K) or a video game = almost 14 times faster.
Uploading 100 photos = 52 times faster.
Downloading 100 songs = almost 47 times faster.
Downloading an iOS update = more than 45 times faster.

Video game download data also suggests that there is significant variation between games, with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War taking, on average, around four-and-a-half hours, compared to just over an hour for FIFA 23.

Find out how long it will take you to download a file of any size with our download time calculator.

Average download times by region (exclusive data)

Our full fibre broadband statistics for download speeds by region found that London had the fastest download speeds compared to anywhere else in the UK.

With average download speeds of 148.77Mbps, the capital was found to be more than 13% faster than the next fastest region (the North East), and more than 60% faster than Wales – the slowest region of the UK for download speeds.

London was followed by the North East and West Midlands, which recorded the second and third fastest average download speeds, respectively. This suggests that high-speed internet connections are common across the whole of England and not just in the south.

This increased speed is reflected in the film and game download statistics, with a download time of 37 minutes and 38 seconds for a 4K movie – around 5 minutes faster than the next quickest region, the North East, at 42 minutes and 38 seconds.

Average regional download times for various online activities

Region	Average download speed (Mbps)	Time to download a 4K film (hours)	Time to download a video game (God of War: Ragnarök on PS5)
East Midlands	126.83	0:44:09	1:28:25
East of England	119.67	0:46:48	1:33:42
London	148.77	0:37:38	1:15:22
North East	131.35	0:42:38	1:25:22
North West	118.09	0:47:25	1:34:57
Northern Ireland	123.71	0:45:16	1:30:39
Scotland	114.15	0:49:03	1:38:14
South East	121.46	0:46:06	1:32:19
South West	105.69	0:52:59	1:46:06
Wales	92.71	1:00:24	2:00:57
West Midlands	129.78	0:43:09	1:26:24
Yorkshire and The Humber	117.00	0:47:52	1:35:50

(Source: Uswitch via Ofcom)

By contrast, it would take, on average, just 1 hour and 15 minutes to download God of War: Ragnarök on PS5 in London, compared to a little more than 1 hour and 25 minutes in the North East, and around 1 hour and 26 minutes in the West Midlands.

Wales and Scotland recorded the lowest and third-lowest average download speeds across the UK, respectively. Wales recorded the lowest average download speed across the UK, with a download time of over two hours, making it about 45 minutes slower than London (the fastest region). Therefore, Wales is about 22 minutes slower than Scotland.

This suggests that more work is needed in these countries to bring internet speeds up to the same levels enjoyed by much of England and Northern Ireland.

To find out more about which broadband providers are considered the best, check out our broadband customer survey 2025 to see how UK consumers rated theirs.

What are the benefits of fibre broadband?

In a Which? survey of 3,000 broadband customers published in October 2024, over three-fifths (63%) of those who had upgraded to a fibre connection had noticed faster speeds, making this the top benefit of switching.

Broadband customer survey results about the benefits of fibre broadband (October 2024)

Pictorial chart showing the perceived benefits of switching to fibre broadband.

Further, all but half (49%) of those surveyed said they had noticed fewer connection dropouts, with a further two-fifths (39%) noticing fewer long broadband outages.

It’s clear fibre broadband makes users’ online experience more enjoyable, with 45% noticing faster downloads and uploads, and 37% experiencing smoother music and/or video streaming.

So, not only is fibre broadband faster and more reliable, it’s less prone to dropouts and less likely to suffer from interference. Standard ADSL broadband uses copper wires, which are susceptible to interference from extreme weather. Also, the longer the line, the slower the connection speed, which is why those in rural settings tend to suffer from slower broadband connections.

You can also choose broadband only deals without line rental, meaning it’s possible for you to receive broadband without a landline to your premises.

Choosing your broadband package and provider will largely depend on what service you are looking for, your intended internet usage, and the speed you require.

Fibre broadband primarily offers you faster speeds, ranging from 30Mbps up to 512Mbps for partial-fibre broadband. Compared to ADSL, the best you can expect is 24Mbps—although in reality, it is normally closer to 10Mbps. Full fibre broadband deals can now offer speeds of up to 1,000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

An additional bonus is that Openreach’s superfast fibre broadband now covers most UK providers on the market. This means, unless you’re changing the type of broadband at your premises, you’ll likely be able to switch broadband providers without an engineer visit and self-install your broadband.

If you opt for a basic ADSL broadband package, chances are you’ll receive a basic router that simply connects you to the internet. However, if you sign up for fibre broadband, then you can expect a higher-end wireless router with more features, such as a greater range of Wi-Fi signals, faster speeds, and multi-device use.

The benefits of faster fibre broadband include:

Higher-quality streaming: Platforms like YouTube and Netflix will often automatically adjust their streaming quality based on your broadband connection speed.
Better video calls: The better upload and download speeds result in improved video and audio quality with fewer dropouts.
Multiple devices can be connected at once: Having a faster connection means you can have more smart home devices (such as virtual assistants, security measures, household appliances, and entertainment systems) simultaneously connected to your network.
Large files can be downloaded quicker: Saving you time and bandwidth for other activities.

Benefits of business fibre broadband

Business broadband is a dedicated broadband connection that is set up for an office or workspace that has a higher demand for the internet than a standard home.

It’s usually designed for an environment where 10 or more people will be accessing the internet at the same time.

Mini infographic showing the speed of Virgin Media business broadband

With fibre connections, average speeds are typically around 76Mbps, with some services offering up to 1Gbps. Virgin Media business broadband runs its own advanced cable broadband network, providing speeds of up to 500Mbps wherever your office premises are located in the UK.

When considering business broadband vs home broadband, the former is supplied with a more powerful router, which provides coverage across 1,500-2,000 square feet, as well as over multiple storeys. Business broadband is also regarded as a safer option, with higher levels of security, including a VPN server, firewall, and filtered content.

Impact of fibre broadband on the UK property market

The Guardian recently reported that access to reliable, fast broadband was one of the key priorities for UK homeowners, as working from home has become a more permanent arrangement for many people up and down the country.

Four in 10 (41%) homeowners ranked internet speed as an important priority when purchasing a property—more important than proximity to schools, or being close to pubs and restaurants.

Two-thirds of people also think fast broadband is more critical than having access to the outdoors, being near a tube station, or having the ability to extend their property.

mini infographic showing the percentage of homeowners who ranked internet speed as a priority when purchasing a property.

According to the UK Government, their UK-wide superfast broadband programme will improve broadband speeds for around 5.5 million homes across the country. The £2.6 billion government scheme—which sees superfast broadband rolled out to ‘commercially unviable’ parts of the UK—sparked a surge in house values of up to £3,500 between 2012 and 2019. This equated to a rise of 1.16% in house prices, worth an additional £1.52 billion for home sellers.

Back in 2020, a survey of potential buyers found that, should they come across a property with poor broadband, they would expect the house price to be reduced by 16%, on average. Half of buyers said they would avoid the area completely, if the broadband speeds were insufficient.

A good internet connection was listed by more than half (51%) as one of their top priorities when looking for a house. One in seven potential home buyers stated they would be willing to give up a bath in their future property in exchange for good broadband. 15% claimed they would give up a garden, if it meant a more reliable internet connection.

Timeline of UK fibre broadband statistics

The history of broadband has taken many steps in its development since the inception of dial-up internet in the 1990s. Broadband only became available in the UK in 2000, and since then the country’s infrastructure has continued to grow and develop.

2020 saw a global pandemic which forced millions of people to work from home, yet highlighted the number of households who didn’t have proper access to the web.

During 2022, the UK Government has continued to pledge billions of pounds to help expand the UK’s full fibre broadband network. This has led to significant increases in UK full fibre availability throughout 2023-2024.

UK fibre broadband updates — November 2024

According to thinkbroadband data cited by the House of Commons, the UK has met its target of delivering gigabit broadband to 85% of premises by 2025. While an exciting feat, the House of Commons notes that the site uses a different methodology from Ofcom, resulting in figures that are typically slightly higher than those reported by the telecoms regulator.

For reference, Ofcom reported that 78.5% of UK premises had gigabit-capable broadband in January 2024.

UK fibre broadband updates - January 2024

The full fibre coverage has reached 62% (18.7 million homes), which is a substantial increase of five percentage points in the four months between September 2023 and January 2024.The Project Gigabit Voucher Scheme has been extended to 2027-2028, offering vouchers of up to £4,500 to encourage the development of Gigabit Infrastructure. It will benefit communities across various regions in the UK.

UK fibre broadband updates - September 2023

Ofcom’s Connected Nations report showed continued rises in full fibre access across Great Britain. The report found that around 15.4 million UK homes (52%) were fibre accessible as of May, an increase of approximately 3 million from September 2022.

UK fibre broadband updates - July 2023

London based alt-net Community Fibre surpassed the 1 million premises mark for full fibre connections provided in the capital. As a result, Community Fibre claimed to have overtaken Openreach in becoming “the largest 100% full-fibre provider in London”.

UK fibre broadband updates - April 2023

Think broadband announces that the UK has surpassed the 50% mark for full fibre access. As of the 12th April 2023, full fibre was available to 50.02% of premises, marking the first time that more than half of UK homes had access to the high-speed service.

UK fibre broadband updates - February 2023

The Welsh government stated its intention to join England in ensuring all new-build homes are built with Gigabit capability. The proposed plans would ensure all new-build homes in Wales would be installed with a Gigabit connection, subject to a £2,000 cost cap per dwelling.

Should Gigabit not be feasible under this cost cap, then the next fastest conneciton would be installed.

UK fibre broadband updates - August 2022

The Scottish Government announced a £36 million expansion in the R100 project—a target to have 100% access to faster broadband across the country. The UK Government’s Project Gigabit will fund an additional £16 million worth of investment, with £20 million coming from the Scottish Government.

UK fibre broadband updates - July 2022

The Welsh Government reached an agreement with Openreach to extend the Superfast Cymru Project to the end of March 2023. This will provide superfast broadband to more than 37,000 Welsh homes (slightly fewer than the proposed 39,000 target).

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Fibre broadband FAQs

What is full fibre broadband?

Full fibre broadband is a fibre internet connection designed to increase speeds from traditional forms of broadband connection like copper ADSL. Also known as ‘fibre to the premises’ (FTTP), this type of connection sees fibre cables connect directly to your home to provide faster internet access.

Depending on the package, full fibre broadband can provide download speeds of anything from around 100Mbps to over 1,000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

What is superfast broadband?

Superfast (or partial-fibre) broadband is currently the most popular type of broadband in the UK, and is available to approximately 97% of homes.

It’s deemed ‘partial fibre’ as only part of the connection relies on fibre cables that stretch to your local street cabinet, with copper wires used for the remaining journey from the street cabinet to your home.

As such, this type of internet can provide speeds that are higher than traditional copper ADSL connections but lower than full fibre broadband services. Superfast broadband typically provides speeds of around 30-70Mbps.

What is ultrafast broadband?

Ultrafast broadband is a type of full fibre broadband connection. This type of connection typically provides speeds of more than 100Mbps, but less than 1,000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

When will ultrafast broadband be in my area?

While the rollout of full fibre services like ultrafast broadband continues to accelerate, the time when these services will be available to you will depend upon the region and area you live in.

By entering your postcode into the Openreach full fibre broadband build plans, you can find out if your area has been included in their most recent ultrafast broadband building plans.

What is gigabit broadband?

Gigabit broadband is a type of high-speed internet that offers download speeds of 1Gbps or more. Because of these unrivalled speeds, these connections are typically only available in areas currently offering full fibre broadband.

As of May, gigabit internet services were available to approximately four-fifths (80%) of UK homes.

What are the benefits of fibre broadband?

Fibre broadband offers substantially higher download speeds than traditional copper connections meaning you can expect increased speeds for web browsing, downloading, and streaming, as well as a more reliable internet connection.

While for minimal internet users, fibre broadband may seem like an unnecessary expense, the increasing uptake in fibre services suggests that more people than ever require these enhanced speeds. Plus, slower fibre speeds are now priced very similarly to older copper connections.

What is a good fibre broadband speed?

While a good internet speed is dependent on your personal requirements, a speed of 30Mbps is considered a good superfast fibre connection, and 100Mbps would be considered a good speed for a full fibre broadband connection. This speed should allow multiple people in your home to stream apps like Netflix and YouTube, while still attending Zoom meetings on multiple devices without having to worry about outages

When will I get fibre to the property?

The UK is currently undergoing a significant full fibre rollout, which has seen fibre to the premises (FTTP) services become available to more than half (52%) of UK homes. This figure is likely to accelerate over the next few years, with Openreach planning to connect 25 million homes by the end of 2026.

To check the developments of full fibre availability in your area, visit Openreach’s fibre broadband checker.

Fibre broadband glossary

ADSL broadband

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) broadband is a type of non-fibre internet that establishes a connection through the copper wires of existing phone lines. ADSL connections typically provide speeds between 10Mbps and 24Mbps.

Broadband USO

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband is a measure introduced by the UK Government in March 2020, targeted at delivering broadband to UK households with a lack of decent, affordable internet.

Decent broadband

Decent broadband is defined by the UK Government as ‘a broadband connection offering at least 10Mbps download speed’.

DSL

A digital subscriber line (DSL) is the line over which a broadband provider (i.e. your internet service provider) supplies a digital service to the customer (i.e. you).

Full fibre broadband

Full fibre broadband (or sometimes known as ‘Fibre to the Premises’ (FTTP) refers to any broadband that brings fibre cables directly into your home, in order to establish an internet connection. This type of broadband typically provides speeds between 100Mbps and 1,000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

Gigabit-capable broadband

Gigabit-capable broadband refers to any network (full fibre or otherwise) that is capable of offering at least 1Gbps download speed.

Partial-fibre broadband

Partial-fibre broadband (or sometimes known as ‘Fibre to the Cabinet’ (FTTC) constitutes the majority of the UK’s broadband network. This is where fibre cables are run from a centralised, telephone exchange point to a phone cabinet near your premises. Copper cables are then run from the cabinet to your house, at speeds up to about 70Mbps.

Superfast broadband

Superfast broadband refers to any network capable of providing download speeds of at least 30Mbps. This can also be referred to as partial-fibre broadband or ‘Fibre to the Cabinet’ (FTTC).

Ultrafast broadband

Ultrafast broadband is a type of full fibre broadband offering speeds of between 100Mbps and 1,000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

VDSL broadband

VDSL (or Very-High-Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line) broadband is a faster version of ADSL that uses newer and more efficient technologies to transmit data across copper lines, of speeds up to 100Mbps.